A Bud that May Never Bloom
by Gladus
Summary: Sometimes the most ordinary of characters can become something great.
1. Chapter 1

_**A Bud that May Never Bloom**_

_**Chapter 1- Introduction **_

It seems that everyone always has a story; a story that makes them a person, a story that makes them stand out, a story that makes them feel alive. However life isn't always as favorable and giving as some people may make it seem to be. I grew up with no special story, no special event that changed my life or that gave me motivations for my dreams, no special treatment from my parents that made me the favorable or hated child. I grew up as just a normal person, with normal living arrangements, normal parents, and normal activities. Everything was just average for me. I wasn't one of those main characters that stood out from the rest; I was just another person in the crowd. I am just me, and honestly that is all I've ever wanted to be.

I was never good with formal introductions, but I guess if you want to follow me on this "exciting" tale of mine, an introduction is in order, right? My name is Kame Tsubomi. My father and mother worked hard to earn a living, traveling from village to village selling simply what they picked up from the previous trade: wood, flowers, crops, seeds, weapons. They were traveling entrepreneurs and they worked hard to where they are now. Eventually they settled down in the Land of Fire. The weather was warm, the sun shined, and the large population of the country really allowed my parents to sell to lots of different types of people. The warm weather also allowed for my parents to finally settle down and open up a small flower shop in Crater City. The village constantly has festivals year-round, allowing for my parents to always be in business. Anyway, I was born soon after they settled down with their shop, and as soon as I could walk, I was helping around the shop. My time in the shop didn't last very long though, once I became the age of 4 I had to leave home and live with my aunt and uncle in Konoha. Business the past couple of seasons wasn't doing so well, so my parents didn't have enough money to really support the 3 of us, and soon to be 4. They decided that it was best to send me to the next village to live with my wealthy relatives and to also begin my education. However, this wasn't just any regular education, this would my first steps down the road of becoming a ninja.

Before living with my relatives, I never really thought of becoming a ninja, I was only just a child. However, as young as I was when I stepped foot into the academy, I knew that I belonged. It felt like the Academy was calling me. Beckoning me. I knew, that at that moment, that was where I belonged. My training through the academy went well, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I only had one problem: sometimes they would separate the boys from the girls to have different types of training. I didn't want to pick flowers, I wanted to practice my jutsu, the hand symbols, throwing kunais. THAT was my calling. It finally came time to take my exam to graduate from the academy, and I do have to say that I did not graduate near the top of the class. Remember how I said my childhood was fairly average? Well that is exactly where I was when I passed, nothing too bad, but nothing spectacular either. I graduated right in the middle of my class: 15 out of 30. Tomorrow though is the big day. Tomorrow is when we finally get put into squads, and being stuck right in the middle, I have no idea where I will end up.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A Bud that May Never Bloom**_

_**Chapter 2- What team?**_

Today was the day. I was actually a Genin. I know that it isn't much to boast about, but to me I finally felt like I accomplished something great. I honestly couldn't even believe it, I mean there it was. My very own personal headband. It was mine and only mine.

I woke up that morning with almost no thought in my mind other than who would be in my squad. I wasn't the worst in the class, so I won't be paired with the best in the class Neji Hyuga. Thank goodness. But wait, if he was the best in the class, what if to balance us out as a team we got matched up with the worst, the best, and the one in the middle? Oh no. I was the graduate in the middle. I don't want to be in a squad with Neji. I know that his skills are impeccable, he is beyond genius status, and he has physical strength, but to be honest the kid just scares me. Every time I look at him in class I just get chills up my spine. I always feel like he is judging me. Judging everyone else. He is certainly a person I also wouldn't want to face on the battlefield, but lucky for me we are in the same village, and I don't think either of us plan to betray it anytime soon. But that is enough worrying for now Kame, you have to get yourself together! This is the day you looked forward to for the past 3 years!

The excitement in me was so great that I decided to completely skip breakfast. I threw on my shoes and raced out of the house, not even saying a single word to my relatives. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the streets were filled with people. I could just tell that today was going to be a great day. I honestly thought that nothing could ruin my day.

Soon enough I arrived at the academy and took my seat next to two others that I really didn't bother learning their names. They were other crowd-like people like me. No one special. To be honest, I don't know the name or faces of most of these kids in my class, just the big recognizable ones like Neji because of the way he seems to stare right through your soul, or Lee because of the fact that he can't use any form of ninjutsu. However, to get back to the task at hand, I became even more excited when I saw Iruka-sensei walk into the classroom. The others seemed to notice too, and the once loud and obnoxious classroom became silent. We all could hardly wait.

"So class, I have some good news and some bad news for all of you," he began to say, "At first I would like to congratulate all of you for passing your exam. The cloning jutsu is not easy to do, and the fact that all of you here could accomplish it is truly amazing. You all have such potential, and I hope that all of you have a safe and wonderful journey into the future." The class cheered, we were all so excited, and even more so proud of Lee. He was the one child we thought would never move on, but look at where he is right now, sitting along with us, and coming with us down the road of becoming a ninja. But then, everything suddenly became cold as Iruka-sensei cleared his throat to continue speaking. We all fell silent once more. "However, moving on to the bad news, it seems that we have miscalculated the amount of students we have passed this time around. In doing so instead of there being 30 students passing the class, there was 31, meaning that sadly one student will not be selected to be put into a squad this time around. Now to make it fair to everyone, I would like to request you all to close your eyes and I will take you one by one outside of the classroom and only there will you be able to open your eyes and see who is in your squad. I would like you to please stay quiet and especially respectful to the one student who sadly will not be selected. Please at this time close your eyes so that the selection may begin." Holy shit. I couldn't believe it. As I closed my eyes I felt more nervous than I did for the actual exam to pass. But I couldn't be the one left out, I just couldn't be. I graduated right in the middle, which means that I'm guaranteed a squad to be in.

I sat there for what seemed like hours, hearing the door slide open 3 times and then hearing the other students cheering on the other side. It was bound to be my turn soon. I just knew it. I would be selected soon. What was I even worried about? Nothing. I'm just working myself up over nothing. I just needed to control my thinking, and just convince myself that everything would be okay.

Finally, I felt the hand of Iruka-sensei on my shoulder. I took his sleeve in my hand as he guided me outside the door. It was about time! I knew that I was going to be put in a squad! I couldn't help but smile. I felt a sense of relief knowing that I wasn't the last one left in the classroom. I was so excited to see my squad, the others I would be working with for so long, I would be depending on, and I could look to for guidance, for motivation, for support. The others that I could call a family. He finally tapped my shoulder for a second time and I opened my eyes.

There I was.

Alone in the hallway with Iruka-sensei.


End file.
